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Month: January 2017

It has been seven months since I switched to a plant based lifestyle and became very diligent about taking back my health. I was mindful of my healing journey as I showered this morning, checking in with myself as I assessed where I am right this moment.

Because I was working in my creative studio this morning, after I stepped out of the shower, I felt inspired to wrap up in a beautiful sarong that I picked up on a trip to Phoenix. As the steamed over full length mirror cleared, I caught sight of myself.

I looked at myself, not in a critical way as I used to, but with appreciation for the amazing changes that have occured in seven short months. I have clear skin, and a glow that emanates from within. I am smaller and more fit. Best of all, my pain level was at a ZERO. Swirling like a little girl in a frilly dress, I moved freely. No limp. No cane. So many ailments have disappeared completely. Most amazing of all, my sciatic nerves are no longer inflammed.

I feel healthy, strong and fit. I feel good, creating a sense of euphoria. My journey will continue. Plant based is a lifestyle for me, not a diet. I am still clearing viruses and toxins from my body. As I do, my legs are regaining flexibility and strength. The muscles around my knees tighten up if I sit or sleep with my legs bent for too long, however, there is improvement every day. I feel healing continuing.

During my life, I have hidden so many aspects of myself. For years and years, I hid my intuitive side, confused by my ability to receive information in non traditional ways, afraid people would think I was a freak. I hid my voice and my thoughts, my ideas and my desires to create and grow and challenge myself, choosing to remain silent and play small.

After the car accident 22 years ago, I hid the daily pain, and the increasing difficulty I had walking, until I could no longer deny it. I hid behind excess weight, and baggy clothes and oversized hoodies, and an I don’t care attitude.

No more.

My little impromptu photo shoot, after I figured out how to use the timer on my iphone, is a beautiful declaration that I am no longer hiding, no longer sick, no longer in pain, no longer silent. I love my healthy body and I am tuned in to what I need and what I don’t need. I am getting to know myself in fresh new ways, and I am so grateful for this journey and this opportunity.

Making healthy food choices is important on any diet. The choices become crucial when dining out. Since beginning the plant based lifestyle, I’ve found it easiest to prepare my own meals at home. However occasionally there is a family dinner or I am out of town or I want to pick something up on the way home after a long day.

Is it possible to eat out when living a plant based lifestyle? Or while following other diets? Yes!

I was in Olathe, KS today, dropping Greg off to paint a house interior for his cousin. Before I headed back to Joplin, we wanted to eat a late lunch. My experience provides a good example of how to stay true to a diet or lifestyle, while enjoying a meal out.

* Avoid fast food restaurants. There are very few good options available in fast food.

* Use Google, if you own a smart phone, typing in the words, vegan restaurants, and the town name, to locate healthier possibilities. Look the list over carefully! Google isn’t perfect. I Googled vegan restaurants Olathe KS and IHOP appeared on the list. While they do offer a few healthier options, it’s not a good choice for me.

* Ask for suggestions. I found the perfect restaurant today by asking Greg’s cousin Tim what healthy options were available locally.

* Check out an online menu before finalizing the selection, to make sure the restaurant is a good choice.

I chose a new-to-me restaurant this afternoon, Zoës Kitchen in Olathe, based on Tim’s recommendation. Zoës features Mediterranean cooking using fresh ingredients that are prepared daily.

* There are several good choices for restaurants, when eating plant based or following other diets. Many restaurants offer a veggie plate or allow sides to be ordered a la carte. Chose Mexican or Chinese or Thai restaurants that offer brown rice, simply prepared vegetables or salads with lots of veggies rather than iceberg lettuce with toppings such as cheese, bacon and croutons. There are good buffet style restaurants that have large salad bars full of healthy choices. However, avoid buffet style if the platters and platters of food present too great a temptation!

* Carefully check out the menu before ordering and don’t hesitate to ask the wait staff questions about ingredients or food prep.

Zoës Kitchen made it easy to make great choices. Their menu listed exactly what was in each meal, and they even put a V for vegan next to plant based meals.

Greg and I shared Classic Hummus with Cucumber Slices, and we each had a bowl of Mediterranean Lentil Soup. Both were delicious! I loved that the hummus came with cucumber slices. Pita bread was available on request. That made me feel that Zoës has my best health in mind.

* If the meal isn’t right or what you expected, don’t feel like you have to eat it. Most restaurants are happy to get it right for you.

* And if the meal is more than you can comfortably eat, take the rest home. I like knowing I have another healthy meal ready to eat in the fridge.

With a little knowledge and preparing, eating out doesn’t have to set me back or make me feel guilty, or worse, make me feel bad, physically. I have a short list of approved restaurants in the Joplin area. And I love discovering new vegan restaurants in bigger cities, and places that at least have plant based options on the menu.

In the end, eating out isn’t supposed to be stressful or a reason to cheat on a diet or lifestyle. Its about connecting with others, having fun, and nourishing the body and the soul. When I can accomplish all three, it becomes a beautiful experience.

Zoës Kitchen in Olathe met that criteria, providing wholesome, flavorful, healthy food in a fun, colorful atmosphere. It was added to my list of favorites today.

Today’s post highlights how my healing journey began, in July of 2016, and explains the 28 Day Healing Cleanse that so radically altered my health and my life.

I love how life flows and the Divine guides me to the right actions to take. I came across Anthony William on Facebook a couple of years ago. I’ve benefitted from his posts concerning health, taking note especially of his insights on healing from what he calls mysterious illnesses, including chronic pain and inflammation.

It was no coincidence that I was aware of Anthony at a time in which physical issues from a long ago car accident worsened. After the accident in 1995, doctors said that in 20 years my condition would rapidly deteriorate. I didn’t want to believe that. And yet in the fall of 2015, right on cue it seemed, I began using a cane to walk. After six months of increased pain, physical therapy, massage and energy work from my friend Margit helped me to walk without aid again, most of the time. However, I was concerned, especially when my right leg began to worsen as well. I searched for ways to bring further healing to my damaged back and legs.

Which brought me back to Anthony William. I saw his post about drinking celery juice first thing every morning, to restore digestive health and bring balance and healing into my body in numerous ways. I have been amazed at what this daily practice has shifted in my overall well being.

Encouraged to know more and go further, I bought Anthony’s book, Medical Medium. I finished the book, eager to begin the 28 day healing cleanse, as described within. I made careful notes, about what I could eat and when, and what herbs and supplements to include.

It was very simple, really. For the next 28 days, I only ate fresh fruits, dates and raw vegetables…green vegetables primarily. I eliminated meat, sugar, gluten, dairy products, eggs, soy and corn. Using a juicer and a blender, I enjoyed celery juice in the mornings, plus fruit and veggie smoothies, and chopped salads throughout the day. No, it wasn’t how I normally ate. And that was the problem. My body needed a break from its usual fare so that toxins and heavy metals could be released, and health restored.
I was excited. I was hopeful. I became dedicated to creating the best possible version of myself, which included being healthy, active and pain free.

The first three days on the cleanse, I was a little low energy, as my body began to release toxins, and I had a headache. However, by day four, my energy came up, the headache was gone, and amazing changes were occurring. By the end of the first week, my mobility had increased and my pain decreased to the point that I parked my cane in a corner of the bedroom and have not used it since.

Anthony William says, “We eat things our systems don’t appreciate, indulge in foods to comfort our emotions rather than feed our bodies and souls. As we seek out snacks, meals, beverages and desserts that keep emotions at bay, our bodies become the victims of our soul damage. We get confused and cross the line between what we like to eat and what our bodies need.”

For the first time in my life, I listened to what my body needed, and to the guidance I was given, at a soul level. I am not sorry. The 28 Day Healing Cleanse began my healing process, allowed me to take back control of my health and changed the quality of my life.

I’ll be sharing in future blog posts about the next steps that I took, after the cleanse, and what I have discovered about thriving and healing on a plant based diet. To learn more about Anthony William, and his books, Medical Medium and Life Changing Foods, visit his website www.medicalmedium.com

We are in the middle of cold season. And while not life threatening, the sniffles make us miserable while the bug runs its course. There are many over the counter cold remedies available, however these products can create side effects such as drowsiness, dry mouth and eyes, and digestive distress.

I’ve discovered four natural alternatives to cold medicine. These powerful drinks not only help me in my fight against colds and allergies, they support and strengthen my immune system so that I am less likely to catch what’s going around next time.

Banana Orange Pineapple Smoothie

We typically think of hot drinks when fighting a cold. However, this nutrient packed fruit smoothie is a great drink to boost the immune system and increase vitamin C.

Bananas are a powerful antiviral food that also soothes sleep disorders and reduces anxiety. Oranges are high in vitamin C and bioactive calcium. They help combat the strep virus and a host of other disorders. Pineapple is anti inflammatory and supports the immune system as well.

Sipping on a banana orange pineapple smoothie is a great way to start the day, boost the immune system, and soothe a sore or scratchy throat.

Spiced Apple Cider

This fragrant hot drink not only tastes great, it also smells wonderful as it simmers on the stove. And the spiced cider is full of health benefits.

Apple cider is a great digestive aid and is very soothing to the digestive tract sipped before or after a meal. It also helps to reduce stress damage and keep the body energized and active. Cloves and ginger are especially good for warding off respiratory ailments and any cold or flu symptoms. They also help relieve headaches, nausea, muscle spasms, tension, and nerve pain. Cinnamon is very good for reducing inflammation. Star anise is highly beneficial in the treatment of asthma, bronchitis and sinus infections. (Recipe and info from Anthony William, the Medical Medium).

This warming drink is soothing, easing a sore throat and clearing a stuffy nose. Save the left overs in the fridge and drink cold or reheat. Drink spiced apple cider often to ward off cold symptoms and strengthen the body’s immune system.

Big Magic Chai

I discovered this hot drink via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook page. Full of anti inflammatory spices, this hot drink is a great end of the day treat. Liz swears that it will cure anything!

Ginger is loaded with nutrients and bioactive compounds with powerful antioxidant and anti inflammatory effects. Cardamom is a pungent spice, related to ginger, that helps alleviate cold symptoms. Cinnamon also has antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties.

This is another aromatic drink that makes me feel better just by inhaling the spicy scent.

Nettle Tea

This tea can be purchased in tea bag form, or it is simple to brew from loose dried leaves, purchased in bulk, at a health food store.

Nettle leaves have anti inflammatory properties that work with the body in relieving and preventing cold and allergy symptoms. I brew a pot of tea and keeping it warm under a tea cozy, sip on it all day.

Place 3-4 teaspoons of dried nettle leaves into a large mesh tea ball. Steep in teapot, in very hot water, for 15 minutes. Add a spoonful of raw honey to each cup of tea, as a sweetener, if desired.

A single cup of tea can be prepared by adding 1 teaspoon of dried nettle leaves to a small mesh tea ball or mesh basket and steeping for 15 minutes in a cup of very hot water.

I start drinking nettle tea as soon as I feel a cold coming on. It not only feels great to my throat, it soothes my body and clears my head.

The next time a cold threatens to bring you down, try one, or all, of these natural drinks. Your body will thank you.

I love when synchronicities occur, calling my attention to something important, usually a vital message for me. When I opened my iPhone to Google this morning, I discovered a list of unusual holidays for today. Three of those jumped out at me.

The focus of my journey this year is on health, and making life a little more tender and art a little more robust. Those three areas appeared on the holiday list today. Please read about Artist as Outlaw Day and Tenderness Toward Existence Day on my Cindy Goes Beyond blog.

I was intrigued by Women’s Healthy Weight Day, leading me to think about my relationship with my weight, and that oft dreaded bathroom scale. What is an ideal weight, anyway, and who decides on that number for me?

Losing weight was not my intention when I stopped eating meat, sugar, gluten, dairy, corn and soy. Feeling better, walking better, releasing pain was my motivation. However, weight loss has occurred as a result of eating fruits and vegetables and avoiding the foods on my no list.

For my friends and family, colleagues and clients, what they have noticed most hasn’t been that I no longer use a cane when I walk. At least, that’s not what they first comment on. They remark about the weight loss.

I understand. We are a culture that notices physical changes. I like to point out that what they are seeing is me, being healthier. Me, feeling so incredibly good, I am euphoric.

What isn’t immediately noticeable are the changes within, and the shifts in my beliefs about health and food.

I have long had a hate relationship with the bathroom scale. I’m not sure when this object got to decide for me how my day was going to go, but one peek at a number either made me feel elated or made me feel like a failure.

With health as my goal this time, the scale has become unimportant. I rarely weigh, relying primarily on how my clothes fit as an indicator that I’m slimming down. I’m not free from the need to measure progress entirely. I still own a scale and I know approximately how much I’ve lost. However, I am letting more and more time pass by, in between checking in on my weight.

My desire is to let my body discover her own ideal weight. Rather than rely on the scale or a chart or someone else’s ideal, I am trusting my body to find her way to the perfect size for me. I am so much more than a statistic or a number on a graph. I am uniquely me. As I heal from viruses and inflammation, as I consume clean, wholesome food, simply prepared, my body will continue to respond by becoming healthier, leaner, stronger, more fit and vibrant.

Who I am and how I feel is so much more crucial to me than how much I weigh. Losing pounds has not been a strong enough motivator to succeed at maintaing my ideal weight. However, health, wellness, vitality and life are powerful inspiration indeed.

Very soon I will toss the scale. And check in instead with my body, my heart, my sense of wellness, to see how I am doing. That sounds pretty ideal to me.

I am excited today to launch a new adventure. This blog focuses on my healing journey that began six months ago, and continues on. Check out my About Page, for a brief account of what led me to begin this journey of taking back my health and well being. Six months later, I am so grateful that I made the decision to look at my health in a different way, and take full responsibility for it. I embraced a plant based diet at that time. The plant based diet has become a plant based lifestyle. I will not return, ever, to the poor diet that kept me sick and in pain.

My desire for this blog is to share what I am learning, as I continue to improve my health, vitality and well being. There will be recipes, information about the plant based lifestyle, tips and techniques, and encouragement for those who are considering a change or feel ready to assume responsibility for their health.

Me fourteen months ago, at the family Halloween party, needing a cane to walk and approximately 50 pounds heavier.

Here are a couple of my most frequently asked questions, in case others are wondering as well.

What foods do you eat? And what foods do you avoid?

By far the most common question I get, this one is an easy answer. I eat fruits and vegetables, raw and cooked, brown rice, nuts, and foods made from fruits and veggies, such as smoothies, salsa and hummus. On the “do not eat” list is meat, dairy products, sugar, gluten, corn, soy, and canola oil. The foods on the avoid list cause, or feed, inflammation and illness. Soy and corn are on the list because they have been genetically modified. I can have a corn product, if it is GMO free, and also free of the other foods on the do not eat list.

What about the holidays? Did you stay on a plant based diet?

Yes, I stayed faithful to the plant based lifestyle over Thanksgiving and Christmas. My family was wonderfully supportive, fixing a traditional Thanksgiving dinner while also offering several plant based options. Christmas was buffet style, with everyone contributing to the meal. I brought along plant based dishes to include, for both meals. I didn’t feel like I missed out at all. The most important part of the holiday season was being with my family, and I did that!

How long are you going to stay on this diet?

I will stay on this path. The diet has become a lifestyle. I feel too good to return to my old way of eating. It isn’t a matter of will power. It is a matter of feeling good. As I like to say, nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.

I will be answering other questions, sharing about the differences between going on a diet, and embracing a lifestyle, and discussing everything from which supplements build up the body’s immune system, to thoughts on a healthy relationship with food, to what I am learning about fighting illnesses and preventing disease.

For more information about Anthony William, who started me on my healing journey, check out his website here: Medical Medium

And join me, on this healing journey, as I become the healthiest, most vibrant version of myself. Journey with healthy me!

Me now, after six months on my healing journey. No cane, no pain, feeling better than I have felt in more than 20 years.